A lot has been said and written about the “Apple Tax” — a nickname for the surcharge Apple users pay for the pleasure (or privilege) of using Apple products. This Reuters article () goes further than the bumper sticker joke and does a great job of explaining the Apple Tax phenomenon and its hidden impact on consumers’ wallets.

Americans are shelling out big bucks annually to outfit the entire household with Apple products. And they are spending hundreds – if not thousands of dollars – more each year for the unexpected Apple “taxes” — add-ons that lock them into the Apple system: iTunes downloads for music, movies and games, along with subscriptions and accessories.

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Remember, this is not something that consumers are being forced to pay. They are dipping willingly into their own pockets, because they’re essentially slaves to the devices.